The Car Connection Expert Review
Likes
- Slippery shape
- High-tech features
- Not a bad value
- Solid powertrain lineup…
Dislikes
- … but skip the base engine
- Coupes and convertibles have small trunks
- Gets expensive with luxury options
- Maybe a little too subtle for some
Buying tip
features & specs
Between its sublime styling and impressive performance, the 2023 Audi A5 lineup thrills, coddles, and delights.
What kind of vehicle is the 2023 Audi A5? What does it compare to?
Audi’s A5 range—including sportier S5 and RS5 versions—comes in a huge array of body styles, engines, and trim levels. Shop these cars against the BMW 4-Series and the Lexus IS/RC.
Is the 2023 Audi A5 a good car?
The A5 remains a great choice, even if this basic design is starting to show its age. We love coupes and convertibles, but the Sportback would win our money for the way it blends sexy style with a dose of practicality. (Read more about how we rate cars.)
What's new for the 2023 Audi A5?
Aside from some minor trim changes, the A5 lineup mostly stands pat for 2023.
Audi uses the A5 badge on three models, all with especially shapely lines: a five-door hatchback companion to the A4 sedan that’s called Sportback, a coupe, and a convertible. While they’ve been around for a while, these cars remain pretty—in a conservative, Teutonic way, that is. All share a broad, shield-like front end with complex LED headlights. From the sides, there’s just enough curve to give them a muscular, sporty appeal. Pert taillights complete the look.
Inside, look for a simple, almost spartan dash with a big touchscreen perched up top. Warmer upholstery hues and wood trim add a more personal look.
Engine availability depends on body style. Base versions are called 40 TFSI, and they use a 201-hp turbo-4. The 45 TFSI ups the ante with a 261-hp turbo-4 teamed with mild-hybrid tech for slightly better fuel economy despite the performance bump. S5s churn out 349 hp from a boosted V-6, while the snarling RS5 serves up a hefty 444 hp. All-wheel drive comes standard, and transmissions include either a well-behaved 8-speed automatic or a snappy 7-speed dual-clutch automatic.
Fuel economy varies by engine output and body style, but the thriftiest versions check in at an impressive 28 mpg combined.
Handling is good, with a compliant, comfortable ride in most versions. RS5s can be a bit stiff, but that’s to be expected. Spend up for the adaptive dampers where available, especially if you opt for upsized wheels.
Coupes and droptops have small interiors and trunks, as you might expect. The Sportback, however, can swallow almost as much gear as an SUV.
On the tech front, the A5 range comes with a 10.1-inch touchscreen plus smartphone mirroring. Crash-test scores have been good overall, and they’re complemented by an impressive array of standard tech including wider availability of adaptive cruise control this year. Unlike many competitors, the A5 doesn’t wall off driver-assistance tech behind numerous additional option packages.
How much does the 2023 Audi A5 cost?
The range starts at about $45,000 but can climb quickly from there, depending on how much power, how many doors, and how much opening roof you want.
We’re most tempted by an A5 Sportback in 45 TFSI guise. The base Premium trim is a decent value with standard leather, but you’ll pay extra for adaptive cruise control and metallic paint. At $48,000, it’s a style-forward luxury standout, though.
Where is the 2023 Audi A5 made?
In Germany.
2023 Audi A5 Styling
These sleek, stylish cars delight in their details, though they’re not as inspiring inside as out.
Is the Audi A5 a good-looking car?
We sure think so, but we also think it’s worth spending up for a more interesting paint color.
We rate the 2023 A5 lineup at 7 out of 10, with two of those points allocated to its exterior. Its cabin is fine, but it doesn’t match the knockout punch of the exterior.
The A5 range comes in three shapes: five-door Sportback, coupe, and convertible. There’s not an ugly one in the bunch, but we especially like the Sportback for its sloping roofline that ends with a wide-opening tailgate.
All models share a shield grille with Audi’s comparatively pedestrian A4 sedan. From the side, they’re a bit more muscular, with a character line running from the headlights over the wheel arches and ending at the taillights.
Audi offers a lot of fun paint hues, so consider skipping gray and black in favor of green or blue.
Inside, the A5 is a dead-ringer for the A4. Controls are grouped together in a convenient fashion, but the cabin winds up feeling more mainstream than special—unless you opt for higher-end models with real wood or even carbon fiber trim.
2023 Audi A5 Performance
The 2023 Audi A4 can be downright quick, so long as you skip the underwhelming base version.
Audi packs a bunch of different engine options under the A5’s hood, though you’ll need to look at the number at the back to know how much performance has been unlocked.
We rate the range at 7 out of 10 thanks to good acceleration in all but the base model plus an admirable ride/handling balance. S5 and RS5 versions might net a point higher for their even sharper moves.
Is the Audi A5 4WD?
Yes, all models—A5, S5, and RS5—come with all-wheel drive.
How fast is the Audi A5?
Base Sportbacks use an underwhelming 201-hp 2.0-liter turbo-4 that Audi calls 40 TFSI. While refined, this engine is tasked with moving too much car. Skip it for the mild-hybrid version rated at 261 hp and called 45 TFSI. Audi says these models can zip to 60 mph in the mid-five-second range, which makes them plenty quick for daily drivers.
The 7-speed automatic gearbox does a good job shuffling through its cogs, too.
Slap the S5 badge on the back and you’ll find a 349-hp turbocharged V-6 teamed to an 8-speed automatic. The RS5 uses a 2.9-liter turbocharged V-6 rated at a hefty 444 hp, which slices the 60 mph sprint to just 3.8 seconds.
Ride quality impresses across the range. You’ll want the optional adaptive dampers on the S5, though. They’re standard on the RS5. Light, quick steering makes these cars feel nimble. We’re less sold on the available variable steering system, which can seem confused as it adjusts to road conditions.
All models have strong brakes matched to power output, but the carbon-ceramics on RS5s can be tough to modulate in traffic. They’re best for track days.
RS5s offer a $16,000 Competition Package with coilover springs, uprated sway bars, 20-inch wheels wearing special Pirelli tires, and a host of styling tweaks.
2023 Audi A5 Comfort & Quality
The 2023 Audi A5 Sportback is a pleasantly practical choice.
We rate the 2023 Audi A5 range at 8 out of 10, but that figure comes with some caveats. Our rating applies to the A5 Sportback, which has a huge trunk and great interior space. Coupes and convertibles have nice front seats, but they are not tops for cargo space. But you’re not after a two-door car for its utility, right?
All models have good bolstering on multi-adjustable front seats wrapped in leather. RS5 versions swap in far more bolstering, though, which may make them a tight fit for broader passengers.
Sportbacks have good rear-seat legroom. The sloping roof doesn’t cut into headroom much, either. You’ll find a 22-cubic-foot cargo area, which opens up to about double that space with the rear seatbacks folded. That utility is on par with some small SUVs.
Two-doors have small back seats that are hard to reach and their trunks can swallow just a couple of carryon suitcases.
Materials are nice across the board, and standard leather is an unusual touch.
2023 Audi A5 Safety
The 2023 Audi A5 range boasts top crash-test scores and lots of tech.
How safe is the Audi A5?
We think it’s a safe choice overall, and so do the IIHS and the NHTSA. The A5 is a 8 on our scale thanks to a five-star rating from the feds, a Top Safety Pick score from independent testers, and plenty of features to help avoid a crash altogether.
Some caveats, though: only the most costly headlights earn good marks from the IIHS, and coupes rate four stars overall from the NHTSA.
All models come with automatic emergency braking. Adaptive cruise control is standard on all but the base Premium trim, where it’s bundled in a $2,500-or-so package. Audi’s traffic jam assistance feature helps reduce commuting fatigue, too.
2023 Audi A5 Features
The 2023 Audi A5 can be a good value so long as you don’t go crazy with options.
The A5 lineup stretches a broad range from just over $45,000 to six figures. Just how much A5, S5, or RS5 you need may depend on your budget.
Our 7 out of 10 rating comes courtesy of good standard equipment and a quality infotainment system with a bright, 10.1-inch touchscreen.
Audi’s 4-year/50,000-mile warranty is par for the luxury segment. The automaker does not include service visits, however.
All cars come with leather seats with power adjustment and heating up front plus alloy wheels at least 18 inches in diameter. Coupes generally cost about $2,000 more than their Sportback counterparts, while droptops run another $6,000 or so.
Which Audi A5 should I buy?
The Sportback is the most practical and is thus the most popular. We’d grab the base Premium trim, which this year offers a $2,500 package that includes adaptive cruise control, a heated steering wheel, and memory for the driver’s seat.
We think the 45 TFSI engine is worth the upgrade over the base, though. It costs an extra $2,000 depending on the trim. So-equipped, an A5 Sportback will run about $48,000.
The mid-level Premium Plus adds Bang & Olufsen audio, a digital instrument cluster, a surround-view camera system, and active lane control for about $52,000.
How much is a fully loaded Audi A5?
RS5 Sportbacks start at about $77,000. All in, an RS5 Coupe with the Competition Package and various other extras nudges its way to $100,000.
2023 Audi A5 Fuel Economy
The 2023 Audi A5 can be a low-guilt luxury car.
Is the Audi A5 good on gas?
It’s not bad, actually. The Sportback offers the best fuel economy: 24 mpg city, 33 highway, 28 combined. Coupes and Sportbacks with the S-Line appearance package are nearly as good. The EPA estimates them at 24/32/27 mpg.
The S5 lineup checks in at 21/30/24 mpg in most cases, though convertibles are rated at 23 mpg combined. Even the RS5 rates a decent 21 mpg combined, which isn’t bad for a 444-hp vehicle.
